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Sunday, 28 June 2015

Hi everyone! I'm so sorry that I haven't blogged in almost a week, time is running away with me and I've been so busy with job interviews and social plans.

I thought I would review the Benefit Rockateur Blush as I am obsessed with all things Benefit Cosmetics, and so when I received this for my birthday I couldn't wait to try it out. It is currently the UK's No. 1 Blush and I can definitely see why because I am officially in love!

I'm usually a huge fan of Benefit packaging, but I have to say I'm not overly thrilled with the design of this particular box o' powder. I love the cardboard design and the magnetic closing as it means I can take it with me on my travels and loose powder won't cover the entire contents of my bag, but the graphics don't really do it for me. Although I think they are very appropriate given the name, so I guess this is just a matter of opinion and tastes. I love the fact that this comes complete with its own brush which fits neatly inside, which again is really handy for when I'm travelling as it is a real space saver.

I was slightly sceptical of the brush at first because I am a huge fan of Real Techniques brushes, but I find that the blush applies really well with this and the brush is the perfect size to cover the cheekbones in all the right places and allows the blush to be applied effortlessly.

The blush itself is what I would describe as a baked rose gold colour.. As someone who has skin which could rival Casper the friendly ghost, I love the colour this brings to my cheeks in a subtle but beautiful, shimmery way. I think this would be great for all skin tones though and it is great for summer as it is not overly pink and the rose gold tones for me bring the benefits of both blusher and bronzer.

I will definitely be repurchasing this and would say it is the best blusher I have ever tried! At £23.50 some do say they seem quite expensive, but a little goes a long way so I think the 5 gram box will last me an eternity, as all Benefit products seem to do! Seriously good value for money. I would definitely recommend trying it out at your local counter.

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Hi everyone! For my brother's birthday I decided to pay for us both to go on a Segway Safari experience as it is something we have always wanted to do. It is one of the things on my list of 21 things to do before I'm 21 list. I was a little nervous when I first stepped on but within a few minutes I was whizzing around like mad! It was strange for me because I'm used to driving a car with peddles, switches, gearstick, handbrake etc but this had no buttons. The instructor just electronically switches them on and then it's all about how you position your feet on the board and you lean on your toes to go forward or shift your weight onto your heels to go backwards. This is a little video my brother took of me once our experience had finished of me just driving around the car park, but we were taken all around a hotel and through into the woods where we went racing off. The experience lasted for an hour but I wish I could have stayed on all day. It was so much fun and I will definitely be buying one of these if I ever win the lottery! I would recommend it to anyone.

Saturday, 20 June 2015

Hi everyone! I thought I would blog about my new nail obsession this evening before I head out for the night. This Models Own 'Chrome Rose' nail varnish has been on my wishlist for a few months now and I am so glad that I finally managed to track it down. I am completely obsessed with all things rose gold at the moment and I don't see why my nails should be any different. I love the eyecatching bottle, although it looks like it's going to be a yellow gold shade - but I can promise it's not. It is a beautiful metallic shade with just two coats and looks so pretty with my rose gold watch. In the light the pink tones are really noticeable and I think this is just such a uniquely beautiful polish.

This retails at £4.99 and you can find it in selected Superdrug stores.

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Last night was my Grad Ball and I thought I would share some photos and talk about how amazing a time I had. I can't believe how quickly my three years at university has flown by and I didn't stop smiling all night, I enjoyed every minute of celebrating.

I will be graduating from Warwick University in July and our ball was held at The Hilton Hotel in Birmingham. There were a few choices on the menu and I went for a Meditteranean vegetable stack to start, Mango Sorbet, Mushroom & Beetroot Risotto and then we had to have Chocolate Torte for pudding, although I hate chocolate desserts so I was really disappointed and barely touched that. But the rest of the food was really delicious.

I absolutely loved my dress and felt really comfortable all night. I paired it with jewelled sandals and a simple black clutch bag because I am rarely one to wear heels. I had planned to have half my hair up but realised I'd forgotten to pack hair accessories when I was getting ready, oops! I am an absolute magpie when it comes to anything sparkly and so this outfit was really me.

After the formal dinner, we were escorted over to the party room complete with photo booth and chocolate fountain fun! After overindulging in both activities, we danced for hours and hours. The band were incredible, playing some absolute classic rock songs but also cheesy pop which got everyone up and dancing, and it was such an incredible atmosphere. The DJ was spot on as well and my feet were so sore by the end!

I only got three hours sleep last night but it was absolutely worth it! I loved every single minute and it was the perfect way to end my degree and time at university.

Monday, 15 June 2015

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't blogged in almost a week, I've been so busy I've barely had chance to sit down. I had an all day job interview last week which was quite far away so I spent several days away with no internet access.

I realised today that my blog is a year old in three days time and I couldn't actually believe it. When I think of everything that was going on in my life at the time of setting it up, I realise how much has changed and how quickly a year has flown by.

I decided to set up a blog as a past time and to share lifestyle advice, my journey to a healthier and happier version of me including my weight loss and fitness journey, and also to share my passion for make up and shopping! I had been toying with the idea for almost a year because I enjoyed reading blogs so much, but I really lacked the confidence. I wasn't worried about what strangers think at all, but I thought that people who knew me personally, whether I was friends with them or not, might think it was silly or talk about it in a negative light and it would cause me more stress than it was worth.

A year later, I am so pleased that I plucked up the courage and just went for it. Even within a year, I feel like my blog has improved and exceeded all the expectations I ever had for it. My page views continue to increase as the months draw on, the quality of my posts has improved a lot in my opinion, I have more followers and have met some incredibly lovely bloggers. I've enjoyed blogger meet ups and chatting to various brands.

What are my hopes for the next year? Well for FOREVER now I've been saying I am going to purchase a proper camera and really work on my photography because that is the stage of blogging that I definitely rush the most and is by far my biggest weakness I think. I have my eye on the Olympus Pen EPL7 and think I might treat myself once my university accommodation deposit is returned to me.

I would just like to thank everyone who has supported Shannon Stacey over the past 12 months. Whether you've enjoyed reading it from the start, or you read the odd post here and there, or this is the first time you're reading it, I really appreciate it and hope you will still be reading my ramblings in another 12 months time!

In true beauty blogger style, I decided to treat myself to a MAC lipstick to celebrate my blog's birthday. I've had my eye on for a while and it is raved about everywhere all over the net. I'm sure I will be reviewing it in the next few weeks or so.

Monday, 8 June 2015

Morning everyone, I have to say I am struggling this morning after an incredibly busy birthday week! My 21st birthday was yesterday and me and my Mum spent the day exploring London.

On the Saturday evening we went to a restaurant where I live in Lincolnshire called Witham and Blues, which is a New York themed restaurant. I've always wanted to eat there and I definitely wasn't disappointed. I loved the NYPD police car and New York cab parked outside and the interior screamed New York. I ordered the 'Brooklyn Burger' with skinny fries which was two quarter pound beef burgers with endless cheese and onion rings. I also enjoyed a cocktail on the house because it was my birthday, and by the end I was so full I couldn't manage a dessert which broke my heart a little because they looked so good! If you live in the Boston area you should definitely check it out.

On the Sunday we woke up nice and early so we had plenty of time to explore London. I've never been to Camden Town before but I've always wanted to go, and I had so much fun exploring the markets. I bought a necklace and a new make up bag which I'm sure will appear on my Instagram feed soon if you are interested in seeing them. The food market was so tempting but in the end we decided we really fancied Fish and Chips, and sat in a retro style restaurant called Poppies which is the number one eat-in fish and chip restaurant in the UK at the moment apparently. Having now eaten the food, I definitely wouldn't find that hard to believe because it was so delicious.

I really wanted to see the Amy Winehouse statue but we couldn't find it for the life of us, and it was so hot and there were so many people around that we decided to give up and head to the Regent Street/Oxford Street area to enjoy a quick spot of shopping. I ended up with a Raspberry and Cookies and Cream ice cream as well which kept me going throughout the warm afternoon! We then ended our day off by going for cocktails in the Ice Bar down Heddon Street. I loved every second of it, I just couldn't believe how amazing it looked and it was just one of those experiences that you know you'll never forget. I wore sandals though and I genuinely thought I would lose all my toes to frostbite by the end of our Ice bar session!

I had the most perfect birthday and I want to thank everyone for your well wishes, cards, gifts and money. I have a list of 21 things I want to do in my 21st year that I'm still working on - kind of like a bucket list I guess - so if you'd like to read that I've posted the link here

Tuesday, 2 June 2015

Hi everyone! This might seem a little out of the ordinary compared to the typical posts you find on Beauty and Lifestyle blogs, but it's something I've been working on for a while now and so I decided to share it with you.

On the 7th June I will be turning 21 and I am so excited it is unreal! Earlier in the year I decided to start working on a list of 21 things I want to do during my 21st year! I've already crossed a few off my list, there are also some that are in the pipeline, and some which are not set in stone yet because tickets aren't available or something. So some of these may not be achieved but fingers crossed I manage the full shabang! I'll try to regularly update this and include links of any posts related to these goals.

1. Own my very own car (DONE)
2. Have a ride on a Segway (DONE - Read about it here)
3. Go and see Take That (DONE)

4. Go and see Matilda the Musical (DONE - thank you to my Nan, this was one of my birthday presents - read about it here)
5. Have my teeth done (DONE - Whitened)
6. Go and see Olly Murs (DONE)

7. Book a family holiday
8. Run a Cancer Research Race for Life - no walking! (DONE - Read about it here)
9. Have a vintage Afternoon Tea with my Nan (DONE)

10. Visit Camden Town (DONE - Read about it here)
11. Go to the Ice Bar in London for cocktails (DONE - Read abut it here)
12. Have the annual Shannon's birthday barbecue with family (DONE)

14. Invest in a proper camera for my much loved blog and to record memories (DONE - Olympus Pen EPL7)
15. Grow my nails (DONE - no biting for weeks now!)
16. Go to the Clothes Show in Birmingham in December (BOOKED - 6th December)
17. Graduate (BOOKED - 14th July)
18. Graduation Ball with friends (DONE - Read about it here)
19. Enjoy a meal at a local restaurant I've always wanted to eat at - Witham and Blues (DONE)
20. Go to Winter Wonderland in December
21. Spa Day with Mum (DONE - Read about it here)

Hi everyone! Firstly I want to apologise for not posting an April Favourites - university exams and assessed work was taking over my life! While I did find time to schedule in lots of posts weeks in advance, I didn't want to make an April Favourites post because I mainly sat in jogging bottoms with my hair in a pineapple on top of my head throughout the entire month with minimal beauty products used! Also known as full on revision mode. But have no fear, I'm back with my favourite things this month.

Soap and Glory Supercat Eyeliner
This baby is an absolute must for any liquid liner lover. It achieves the perfect flicks and applies smoothly with minimal effort. I have already posted a more detailed review and you can find that here

Aussie Shower Smoothie Body Wash
I received a £10 voucher from the Aussie team and when I smelt this in the shop I couldn't resist! It smells exactly like my favourite Aussie shampoo and is a beautiful pearlescent purple colour. It lathers really well and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin at all - I wish I could say the same for the majority of soaps and body washes on the market!

Impulse Temptation Body Spray in 'Vanilla & Peach'
I love having a body spray in my handbag as a top up throughout the day when I'm on the go. This Vanilla & Peach fragrance is the perfect summer scent, is long lasting, and was an absolute bargain at 97p in Asda. I literally couldn't fault this right now.

Maybelline Eyestudio Colour Tattoo Gel Eyeshadow in 'Pink Gold'
I have been loving this for my every day make up look. It is so easy to apply because it is a gel eyeshadow which can be applied with fingers, and really brightens my eyes with its beautifully metallic pink pigment. I have already reviewed this beauty along with two of its sister shades here

Sex and the City Boxset - the Complete Collection
When my exams finished the first thing I did was order this boxset. I'd already seen a few episodes on TV and the first of the films before and thought they were great - and I definitely needed something to distract me from my Friends addiction! I've loved being able to start it right from the beginning so I understand it a little better, and I also seriously envy Carrie and Big's relationship!